Luke 12:8
What does Luke 12:8 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 12:8 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 12:8 means
Jesus promises that whoever acknowledges Him before people will be acknowledged by the Son of man before the angels of God. Public confession on earth finds heavenly recognition. This lifts faithful witness beyond earthly risk to eternal reward. The scene He paints is judicial and royal—Christ confessing His own before God’s heavenly court. Such hope strengthens believers when testimony costs them. The requirement is not perfection but allegiance: identifying with Jesus openly rather than hiding Him to save face. The promise rests on the Son of man’s authority and compassion, ensuring that no act of true loyalty goes unnoticed in heaven.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And I say unto you, Every one who shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
KJV
King James Version · 1611Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And I say unto you, Every one who shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And I say to you that to everyone who gives witness to me before men, the Son of man will give witness before the angels of God.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`And I say to you, Every one--whoever may confess with me before men, the Son of Man also shall confess with him before the messengers of God,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And I say to you: Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But I say to you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, the Son of man will confess him also before the angels ofGod;
Context
Flowing from God’s care and the command to fear Him, Jesus now presses for public allegiance. The assurance that the Father treasures His children paves the way for courage to confess the Son. This verse introduces a courtroom contrast completed in the next line—confession brings confession; denial brings denial. The stakes are eschatological, turning the disciples’ present trials into moments of eternal significance, which the next verses underline further.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 John 2:23
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
- Jude 1:24
Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy,
- Romans 10:9
because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:
- Matthew 10:32
Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven.
- 1 Samuel 2:30
Therefore Jehovah, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now Jehovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
- Revelation 3:4
But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.
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